Primark to open three stores in Dubai next year

The Irish fast-fashion giant is also opening in Kuwait in October

Customers wait for the Primark store in Birmingham, UK, to open its doors in 2022. PA

Primark has confirmed it is coming to Dubai and Kuwait, in partnership with the Alshaya Group.

Following an announcement about the partnership in September, the fast-fashion store is coming to the region with four locations: three in Dubai and one in Kuwait.

The Kuwait store will open at The Avenues in October, while stores in Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and City Centre Mirdif are slated to open early next year. No further details have been given.

Primark interim chief executive, Eoin Tonge, said the company was “excited to be taking the next step in our global expansion journey, creating new stores for more customers to enjoy shopping with us".

"We know there is already a strong cohort of shoppers ready and waiting for us, and we believe the wider region holds a lot of potential for Primark and our value proposition. We can’t wait to bring them their first Primark later this year in The Avenues, Kuwait, before we continue to expand with more stores planned for Dubai next year.”

A rendering Kuwaiti Primark store, which is slated to open in October. Photo: Alshaya

While no additional details have been confirmed, the announcement did not rule out expansion across the region in the future.

Since its founding in Dublin, Ireland, in 1969 as Penneys, Primark – as it is called outside of Ireland – has grown into a vast operation. Known for delivering ultra-fast fashion at low prices to customers via 460 stores across 17 countries, it has a presence across Europe and the US. The newly announced stores mark their debut in the Middle East.

Employing more than 80,000 staff, Primark typically sells a wide variety of women's wear, menswear, children's wear, homeware, beauty, accessories and footwear at affordable prices.

In addition, it has licensed collections with brands such as Disney, Warner Bros, Universal and the NFL.

The company has recently been making inroads into offering more "premium" collections, such as their current collaboration with singer Rita Ora.